The Big Interview – The Nation Onlinehttp://mwnation.com
Top Malawi Breaking News HeadlinesMon, 19 Mar 2018 14:24:15 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4Maggie Banda: Wolrec founder and directorhttp://mwnation.com/maggie-banda-wolrec-founder-director/
http://mwnation.com/maggie-banda-wolrec-founder-director/#commentsSun, 18 Mar 2018 04:20:16 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=230694Born on 15 March 1975 in Mulanje, the advent of Maggie Kathewera-Banda’s work in women’s rights advocacy can be traced back to her days of working with Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA). Now founder and executive director of Women’s Legal Resource Centre (Wolrec), a women’s rights non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Blantyre, Maggie…

]]>Born on 15 March 1975 in Mulanje, the advent of Maggie Kathewera-Banda’s work in women’s rights advocacy can be traced back to her days of working with Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA).

Now founder and executive director of Women’s Legal Resource Centre (Wolrec), a women’s rights non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Blantyre, Maggie could best be described as a determined person who always aims to achieve the impossibilities.

Banda:My parents believed in me

“At WLSA, I came to learn about the inequalities that exist between men and women in our society and I became interested in lobbying for improvements in women’s lives. Because I have also undertaken research in a number of areas, I have knowledge on such inequalities, so that gives me the drive to go on.

“To become an activist, one needs to identify an issue and recognise it as a problem otherwise you can’t fight for change. You also need to identify who has the power to change the situation and, therefore, engage the same to change things,” Maggie explains.

She says that for instance, one of the issues they recognised is that women experience violence and that it is due to power imbalance between men and women that the violence escalates. As such, Wolrec works with men to deconstruct negative masculinity.

Given that the organisation is working to ensure that the rights of women are not hampered, Kathewera-Banda owns up to the fact that progress will not just come on its own, but that women have to work for it both as individuals and collectively.

The director in the course of duty

“Women are able, but many need to be given the space to deliver and they need to support one another. Secondly, as women, we need to learn to demand fulfillment of our rights by duty bearers because sometimes progress is hindered by unfair laws, policies and practices by people who are duty bearers. For instance in pressing for progress for women’s participation in decision making, women need to demand laws that will promote their participation in such arenas,” she points out.

Apart from that, she notes that duty bearers, government being the principal duty bearer, have a major role to ensure the progress of its women citizenry.

“It means that they need to put resources into programmes that will help women to progress. They need to ensure that women contribute to the decisions of the country. They also need to make certain that laws are working for women,” she adds.

In addition to fighting for the rights of women, the organisation has also been working on empowering the women economically.

“Through the economic empowerment project we have seen women doing businesses and getting the much needed income for their survival. We have been providing legal assistance to women to use the law to fight injustice. We have also been building the capacity of women to know their rights and demand the same from duty bearers,” she explains.

The organisation’s plan is to reach out to more than the 11 districts which they are currently operating in. That to her, also means that Wolrec needs to diversify and increase its funding.

“We would want to have our own offices which will provide a more conducive environment to women that benefit from our services,” she says.

The women’s rights advocate was born to Allan and Ellinah Chipasula in Mulanje where her mother was

teaching at Providence Secondary School while her father had gone to Canada to pursue his master’s degree.

They moved to Blantyre when she was two years old, and that is where she spent most of her younger years.

While some people would say girls are difficult to raise and that they cannot make it in life, Maggie says her parents always believed in her and her five siblings.

“They created a very empowering environment in the home. They also took us to places so that we were exposed. Also, my father and mother instilled in us confidence to believe that we can achieve anything in life,” says the mother of four.

Maggie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science with credit, obtained from University of Malawi’s Chancellor College in 1997. She also has a post-graduate certificate in non-Governmental organisation management from University of London attained in 2012. In addition, she has attended several professional trainings in gender and human rights among others.

She is currently winding up her studies for a master’s degree in development studies with Cavendish University, Zambia.

As much as she can best be described as a person with a vision or focus, and one who is not discouraged by the negative energy bent towards her, she acknowledges that she has been able to accomplish what she has so far only because of the grace of God.

“It is Him who gives me the drive to move on despite the challenges,” she says.

She is a mother of four children 14 year old Shalom; Shekina, 11; six year old Shammah, and the last one, Shimon is two. She is married to Bishop Kondwani Kathewera-Banda, who she says encourages her a lot in her work. They will celebrate their 15th anniversary this year.

]]>http://mwnation.com/maggie-banda-wolrec-founder-director/feed/1Mercy Simbi: Adecots executive director, producerhttp://mwnation.com/mercy-simbi-adecots-executive-director-producer/
http://mwnation.com/mercy-simbi-adecots-executive-director-producer/#commentsSun, 11 Mar 2018 04:43:39 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=229921From a young age, television personality Mercy Simbi never wanted to become anything else, but a journalist. Describing herself as the loudest in her family, she recalls that whenever there was something to be communicated to the whole family, her father would delegate her. Mercy even accompanied her father to different courtrooms to listen to…

]]>From a young age, television personality Mercy Simbi never wanted to become anything else, but a journalist.

Describing herself as the loudest in her family, she recalls that whenever there was something to be communicated to the whole family, her father would delegate her.

Mercy even accompanied her father to different courtrooms to listen to court cases. She later wrote and read them to him.

“He would critique my reports and guide me on how to improve my writing,” she explains.

From secondary school in 2003, she enrolled with the Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) where she attained her journalism certificate.

She proceeded to the Malawi Polytechnic for her diploma. Mercy later went to read for her degree in journalism at the Blantyre International University (BIU) which she obtained in 2014.

She is now the executive director and executive producer of Applied Development Communication and Training Services (Adecots), implementing a number of projects with national and international organisations.

Says Mercy: “In 2011, the National Aids Commission (NAC) gave me the opportunity to train in social and behaviour change communication with 13 other individuals from different organisations. The programmes I produce and present help to change attitudes, perceptions and behaviours; and popularise the benefits of adopting life-saving habits.

“My programmes embody different social behaviour change models and principles to educate the ordinary person on developmental issues without making people feel they are in class.

“I do this by bringing case studies to trigger discussion on health and developmental issues.”

Her shows present stories of real people struggling with everyday life challenges and choices her audiences relate with.

Adecots, whose operations started in October 2014, aims at helping Malawians make life-saving decisions through healthy habits and behaviour.

After seven years in employment, Mercy decided to take up new challenges by becoming an employer and not an employee.

“In June 2014 when my contract expired, I declined to sign a new one and I left the Story Workshop Education Trust. With just one computer and a recorder I got from the United States Embassy as prizes for winning Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Malawi Talk Show Host of the year 2013, we launched Adecots in a tiny room with just one table and one chair. Now we have state of the art digital studios. We grew and got on board a few equally strong-minded young people who help drive the organisation forward,” she explains.

Adecots has 23 volunteer field producers in 20 districts of Malawi.

In its four years of operations, Adecots has worked for and with different international and local organisations including United States Agency for International Development (Usaid), Save the Children International, Jhipiego, United Purpose [formally Concern Universal], Southern Aids Trust, Theatre for a Change, Blantyre Synod Health and Development Commission and FHI360.

In 2016, they contributed to the success of the Make a Difference Malaria Campaign (Anti-Malaria Drug-Theft Campaign) that was

“The campaign pledged to reward everyone that reported those responsible for the pilferage of drugs funded by the Usaid. from government hospitals. As a result of the radio campaign through the Moyo ndi Mpamba programme, thousands of people called the toll-free numbers provided, to report the mischievous and unscrupulous health workers; and shop owners,” Mercy explains.

“Adecots’s campaign persuaded and positively influenced its audience to own the campaign. As an organisation, we use the same strategies to make people own, not only the radio programme, but their health, their families’ and communities,” she says.

Her organisation also successfully contributed to the repeal of the Rogue and Vagabond laws in Malawi as it led a media advocacy campaign for the Centre for Human Rights Education Advice and Assistance (CHREAA) in 2015-16.

Sixth born in a family of eight, Mercy says she has always been a happy person.

“I grew up a happy child both in times of need and plenty. I have always been contented with what I have while striving for better. I was born when my father was about to retire from his employment and he lost everything soon afterwards,” she explains.

She confesses that her father drove and spurred her on with words of motivation.

“It was always inspirational to be around him. He believed in my abilities and encouraged me to raise my aspirations high. He told me that the poverty I grew up in was not my own, but his and that if I worked harder, I would only have to endure 16 years of inherited poverty during which I could work to walk out of it. I grew up hearing his voice wherever I went.

“I have always hustled, doing piece works to meet my needs. My father instilled in me the spirit of hard work, patience, fortitude and resilience,” she says.

Looking to her future, Mercy sees herself studying for a Masters Degree in behaviour change communication and later a doctorate in communications.

In addition, she says plans are at an advanced stage to pilot the Mercy Simbi Television Talk show.

As for hobbies, she points out that over the years hers have changed she is more into adventures now.

“I love travelling and sightseeing, singing out loud when I am driving although my husband thinks my singing is not for public consumption.

“I like style and following new fashion trends through watching fashion and design channels on television. I design some of my own clothes. I love listening to people’s stories and watching a lot of reality television and movies,” she says.

Born on January 6 in the early 1980s, Mercy comes from Zigodo Village in Enukweni, Mzimba. She is married to creative writer Charles Simbi.

]]>http://mwnation.com/mercy-simbi-adecots-executive-director-producer/feed/1Ndifanji Namacha: Will be attending CHOGM’s youth forumhttp://mwnation.com/ndifanji-namacha-will-attending-chogms-youth-forum/
http://mwnation.com/ndifanji-namacha-will-attending-chogms-youth-forum/#commentsSun, 04 Mar 2018 10:41:07 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=229596Ndifanji Namacha, 24, is among six youths attending the Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF) at the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London from April 16 to 20. The Forum agenda will be about Malaria, Universal Health Coverage and Non-Communicable diseases- topics she has taken an interest in and is involved with. “When the…

]]>Ndifanji Namacha, 24, is among six youths attending the Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF) at the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London from April 16 to 20.

The Forum agenda will be about Malaria, Universal Health Coverage and Non-Communicable diseases- topics she has taken an interest in and is involved with.

Ndifanji Namacha

“When the National Youth Council of Malawi made a call for nominations, I decided to submit an application as an opportunity to influence decision makers and represent my country. I was happy to learn that I made it as one of the six representative countries out of all the Commonwealth applications,” she says.

Being a girl and having overcome cultural and societal barriers to higher education for women, the youthful doctor believes that her presence and her story will help contribute to the various discussions that the youth from different countries will share.

Born at St Joseph Mission Hospital (Nguludi Mission Hospital) on June 19 1993 to Stephen and Emily Namacha, Ndifanji is the first born in a family of five girls.

She was raised in Blantyre where her parents still run a number of businesses. She went for kindergarten and primary school at Ladybird International Private School before moving on to Elma High School for lower secondary education.

Ndifanji later went to Kalibu Academy from where she wrote her International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) in November 2009 and emerged the best student in sciences, mathematics, accounting and was overall the best IGCSE (‘O’ Level) scholar for that year.

While in high school, Ndifanji says she was always caught-up between studying medicine and accounting for her tertiary studies.

She explains: “I enjoyed both the sciences and the finance subjects. I actually scored really well in accounting and business studies. After my ‘O’ levels, I applied to the College of Medicine for a Bachelor in Medicine and Bachelor in Surgery (MBBS) from which I was awarded the government sponsorship. I was at College of Medicine December 2010 to May 2016.”

During her time at the college, she served as a class representative, Medical Rights Watch President and Students Union Representative.

Ndifanji confesses that medical school covers some of the best years of her life.

Among other highlights, she got born-again and received Jesus Christ as her Lord and personal saviour on May 20 2011.

Apart from that, she says her research group was awarded the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Undergraduate Research Grant for their fourth year research; and to crown it all, she attended summer school in Global Health at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

Between her third and fourth year, she went through what she calls the Damascus moment.

“This is when I was seriously contemplating my career in clinical practice versus going to full time public health as a research scientist and academician. By the time I was in my final year, God was very clear on which path I was going to take and I was in agreement with my destiny. So, following the completion of my degree, it was all very clear for me,” says Ndifanji.

She is now an assistant lecturer in public health in the school of public health and family medicine at the College of Medicine and one of the youngest faculty members in that department.

The doctor is also a research intern with the malaria epidemiology group at the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust and secretary for the Women in Infectious Diseases/Health Research Network in Malawi (Widrem).

“I plan to grow to the senior ranks in the field of public health/epidemiology. I wish to contribute to research by publications and also policy making not only in Malawi, but the Sub-Saharan region, especially in the area of adolescent health and sexual reproductive health.

“I am currently involved in various technical working groups (TWGs) in the Ministry of Health and I intend to continue in these platforms as we advance the health of Malawians,” says Ndifanji.

Growing up in an all girls’ home within a culture which upholds the boy than the girl was enough motivation to shape her into the woman she has become.

Nicknamed Margaret Thatcher by her father, Ndifanji feels indebted to her parents for allowing her the freedom to make her own career choices and make mistakes as it helped her mature.

“I learnt to be responsible at a young age, always wanting to be an example to my younger sisters. I grew up in a Christian home and that instilled in me Godly values from a young age. Growing up with a business woman and business man/ politician developed in me a risk taking character,” she says.

Ndifanji adds: “I am usually not afraid to take well calculated risks after I have counted the cost. My father was always very encouraging, exposing us to women who have made it big at national and international levels- telling us we could become those women people read about and see on television someday,” she says.

Outside of all the hassles of life, Ndifanji enjoys cooking, travelling, reading books, photography and modeling.

“Nobody loves a good camera as I do. Being in front of the camera or in the kitchen helps me to distress,” she says.

She advises younger girls to go for their dreams.

“With God, there is nothing you cannot do. Write down your vision on paper, make it a daily reminder and seek to become that woman. There is a tendency to compete and compare among women, but I want to encourage all the women to run their own race at their own pace and in their own lane.

“Don’t let anyone tell them less because just as it is written in Jeremiah 29; verse 11, God has a very beautiful plan for each and every one of us and no matter where you are right now. The end is beautiful,” she advises. n

]]>http://mwnation.com/ndifanji-namacha-will-attending-chogms-youth-forum/feed/1Connie Chiume: The actress with Malawian originshttp://mwnation.com/connie-chiume-actress-malawian-origins/
http://mwnation.com/connie-chiume-actress-malawian-origins/#commentsSun, 25 Feb 2018 04:41:26 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=229027Ever since the film, Black Panther hit the silver screen on February 16 this year, social media has been awash with praise. Qatar-based Wanthaza Mughogho had this to say: “It’s one of the best superhero movies I have ever watched and that’s not only because it is Afrocentric, but because the storyline is relatable and…

]]>Ever since the film, Black Panther hit the silver screen on February 16 this year, social media has been awash with praise.

Qatar-based Wanthaza Mughogho had this to say: “It’s one of the best superhero movies I have ever watched and that’s not only because it is Afrocentric, but because the storyline is relatable and I can connect it with the past and current world events. It is a game-changer in the blockbuster movie industry as it transcends what has been considered the norm for so long in Hollywood movies.

A proud Salawian: Connie

“Superheroes have been portrayed as coming from a certain demographic only when, in truth, every culture and race have their superheroes. Personally, the movie hit a note for me when I saw someone I have met, our very own Connie Chiume, appearing in more than one scene. That was a proud moment for me.”

Most local movie fans did not know that Black Panther features an actress of Malawian origin—Connie Chiume, 65.

The legendary actress, well-known for her now defunct role Mamokete Khuse in soapie Rhythm City has conspicuous Malawian heritage.

She was born Connie Temweka Gabisile Chiume to Wright Tadeyo Chiume who came from Usisya, Nkhata Bay and a South African mother from KwaZulu-Natal.

“I was born in Welkom, a town in the Free State. Ours was an ordinary family. We were not rich, but my father was a hardworking man. I grew up in Welkom and attended school there. Then, I proceeded to Eastern Cape to do my Metric. That is the time my father decided to go back to Malawi and I remained with some of my elder sisters and mother, who followed my father later.

“I then went to do nursing, which I did not complete and, later, I went to do teaching. By the time I finished school in 1976, I started teaching. That is when the uprisings started in South Africa and things were unstable—there was a big revolution going on. Then, I got an audition and I was a cast. I resigned from teaching and went to Israel where the show was going to perform. So, I performed in Israel and Greece and that was where my arts, culture and film life started,” she said.

Her father died in 1983 in Malawi, but she feels strongly about her Malawian culture, which unfortunately, she was deprived of, having been born in South Africa.

Among her many relations in Malawi is politician-cousin Ephraim Mganda Chiume. As a result of her mixed blood, Connie coined the word Salawian [South African and Malawian], which she proudly calls herself.

“I am a Salawian, one cannot take away that from me,” she affirmed.

The mother of four has been acting since 1977. It is not surprising, therefore, that she is one of the award-winning actresses in the Rainbow Nation. She started her acting journey with theatrical plays such as IpiNtombi, Porgyand Bess; and Little shop of Horrors.

Connie with her children

She also acted in a number of feature films including The Air Up There in 1994, Chikin Biznis in 1998, I Dreamed of Africa in 2000 and Country of My Skull in 2004, alongside Holywood actor Samuel L. Jackson.

Connie also featured in a drama series Zone 14 from 2005-2010, for which she won the Golden Horn Award for Best Supporting Actress in a drama at the third South African Film and Television Awards in 2009.

She believes acting is a calling: “I was a performer and an entertainer at school. I grew up doing all this. Unfortunately, when I started, there were no drama schools. As such, I have never studied art, save for workshops that I have attended along the way,” she said.

Connie with other actresses

When it came to Black Panther, Connie went for auditions with something totally different on her mind, only to learn later that she was in a Hollywood blockbuster.

“I knew I was auditioning for a Hollywood movie called Motherland; until later on when I got the communication that I had been casted for Black Panther movie. Even then, I was not sure about what it was all about because I was associating it with an African-American activist group that used to exist and I don’t even know if it still exists,” she explained.

Connie noted that being on the set of other international movies, such as In My Country and I Dreamed of Africa, was nothing compared to working on the set of Black Panther.

“It’s really an honour to be in that movie. I feel like I have had a chance and opportunity to represent, not just Malawi and South Africa, but the whole continent and all the people in the diaspora. Working in the movie was wonderful. It was like being reunited with brothers and sisters that you have always known because the atmosphere was so good and so professional. It was so intriguing to work with big names such as Angella Basset, and proudly having all the African actors,” she said.

Considered an icon for her work in the South African entertainment industry, Connie plays one of the four elders of Wakanda, the fictional African country overseen by King T’Challa played by Chadwick Boseman, who operates as the eponymous superhero.

Connie has a dream of bringing movie makers to hr paternal home, to tell the interesting Malawian stories.

“I do have a production company, though I have not started doing anything on it as I was busy registering a school of acting and filming. Definitely, Malawi has beautiful stories and I have seen a number of movies from Malawi whose acting is good and natural. If there’s an opportunity, I am ready,” she explained.

Connie is a mother to four children—two biological and two adopted. She got married in 1985 and divorced in 2004.

Her advice to aspiring actresses is simple: “Come into the industry if you know that this is really the talent that God has given you. Acting can be a difficult profession because you are always freelancing. You do not have a permanent job. We work in projects and if the film is finished, you have to look for another one. The same if you are doing a television series. But I would encourage you that if you really love it and if it’s your passion then go to school to create your own job if there are no jobs or auditions. But it should be your passion, don’t go into it just because you want to appear on television or you just want to be famous”.

]]>http://mwnation.com/connie-chiume-actress-malawian-origins/feed/1Hope Ngulube: Marine engineer for Maldeco Fisherieshttp://mwnation.com/hope-ngulube-marine-engineer-maldeco-fisheries/
http://mwnation.com/hope-ngulube-marine-engineer-maldeco-fisheries/#respondSat, 17 Feb 2018 17:23:42 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=228455 Hope Salama-Ngulube had a dream- to pursue uniqueness. She nurtured that dream up until she settled for marine engineering. This, according to her, was what she believed would set her apart. Hope shares her experiences, challenges and the joys of living her dreams in this interview with Brenda Twea. At one point in everyone’s…

Hope Salama-Ngulube had a dream- to pursue uniqueness. She nurtured that dream up until she settled for marine engineering. This, according to her, was what she believed would set her apart. Hope shares her experiences, challenges and the joys of living her dreams in this interview with Brenda Twea.

At one point in everyone’s life, there are dreams dreams of getting better at something, travelling the world, getting married or owning a house.

However, it is not every hope or dream that comes to pass. It is common belief that dreams only come true if one has the passion to pursue them.

Hope Salama-Ngulube, 30, is one of those people who dreamed, pursued it and is now living the dream.

Born on 22 March at Zomba District Hospital, the last born of five children always dreamed about going into a unique profession.

It was after completing her secondary school studies at Kaphuka Secondary School in Blantyre that she finally chose the specific profession to undertake.

Hope missed the chance to sit the university entrance examinations due to certain problems. Her only option was to look for a course suiting her needs.

After a rigorous search through newspapers, she came across Marine Engineering. That turned out to be just the profession she was looking for.

“When I came across an advert by the Malawi Marine Training College, I researched on the courses that the college offered and my choice rested on the marine engineering course. I fell in love with marine engineering right from the start,” says Hope.

Malawi’s Marine Training College is a government institution under the Ministry of Transport and Public Works which offers two advance diploma programmes namely Marine Navigation and Marine Engineering.

Hope currently works with Maldeco Fisheries, a subsidiary of Malawi’s dual-listed conglomerate Press Corporation Limited, ensuring that the company’s fishing vessels are good to sail on the Lake Malawi waters.

“As marine engineer, I make sure that all machines, including electrical machinery are in good condition. It is also my duty to get the vessel ready for sailing and when there is a problem, I have to work on it in good time,” she explains.

She admits that being a female marine engineer is a challenge, but she likes it regardless.

“It is not an easy job, but it always gives me piece of mind when my vessel is in good condition all the time. In addition, I do preventive maintenance to prevent breakdowns and I like that,” she explains.

However, she admits that it is not always rosy working in a field dominated by men.

Hope says there is always the element of being looked down upon.

“I am always reminded that this job is meant for men. But, I am here to show them that women can also do it and we are doing it,” she says.

To be admitted into the course, candidates are required to possess a full Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) with six credits including Mathematics, Physical Science and Geography.

Hope encourages more girls to join the marine engineering profession.

“It is simple to become a marine engineer if they work hard in subjects such as Mathematics, Geography, English and Physical Science. Opportunities are many because there are very few women in this profession. Let us show men that we too can do it,” she advises.

As a mother, she confesses that it sometimes gets difficult to juggle between work and family, but says it is manageable.

“I work four days in a week and get another four days off, so, there is no such thing as a weekend for me. As such, I make sure that every time I am off duty, I take care of my family.

“However, even while on duty, I see to it that when I get home in the evening, I make time for my family,” Hope says.

During her free time, the mother to seven-year-old Joan likes hanging out with her friends, watching inspirational movies, learning new things and playing netball.

Every day she looks forward to going to work because it gives her the chance to do something challenging.

“Because it is challenging, it requires me to think fast and make decisions right on board the vessel. And I like that,” she says.

The marine engineer comes from Thyolo, but she grew up in Sadzi Village in Zomba.

Her father, who passed away in 1997, worked as an electrician at the Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC). Her mother on the other hand died in 2002 and following the death of both parents, she lived with her relatives.

The Marine Training College is located in Monkey Bay, Mangochi.

Students at the college go through three years of comprehensive studies in class training, after which they undergo one year long sea-phase training.

As a way of maintaining standards, the college enrolls only once in every four years and its last intake was in January 2016.

The next will, tentatively, be in January 2019, according to officials at the college.

]]>http://mwnation.com/hope-ngulube-marine-engineer-maldeco-fisheries/feed/0Margaret Sapezeka: Executive director for Cisehttp://mwnation.com/margaret-sapezeka-executive-director-cise/
http://mwnation.com/margaret-sapezeka-executive-director-cise/#commentsSun, 04 Feb 2018 08:16:02 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=227255It was early 2013 when Margaret Sapezeka volunteered as a community facilitator with Peace Corps Malawi, alongside other volunteers from the United States of America. However, they needed to work with a local youth non-governmental organisation (NGO) to implement their programmes in Mchinji. The Community Initiative for Social Empowerment (Cise) turned out to be the…

]]>It was early 2013 when Margaret Sapezeka volunteered as a community facilitator with Peace Corps Malawi, alongside other volunteers from the United States of America.

However, they needed to work with a local youth non-governmental organisation (NGO) to implement their programmes in Mchinji.

The Community Initiative for Social Empowerment (Cise) turned out to be the organisation to be partnered with the Peace Corps.

Through her work, Margaret was inspired by Cise and when the project by Peace Corps Malawi phased out, she registered as a volunteer with the organisation.

She has been working as a volunteer ever since until recently when she was elected as the organisation’s executive director.

When Margaret received the news of her appointment, she thought about repackaging herself to fit into the position.

“I had all these questions on my mind- where do I start; how do I start and how do I inspire my team and youths around the vision we have? I believe it is important as a leader to inspire others. I would like to provide direction to my team, to our board of directors and to the people that support our work,” she explains.

Margaret observes the need to carry forward the good track record that Cise has with the community, government, NGOs and the donor community.

“I also need to bring to fruition the vision of a strong and dynamic youth-led organisation which has the backing of government, NGOs and youth organisations in Mchinji and across the country,” she says.

In 2016, the 26-year-old was nominated by the National Youth Council of Malawi (Nycom) as one of the two representatives in the Malawi Partnership Forum (MPF), an advisory body to the National Aids Commission (NAC) board of commissioners.

“My role is to present issues on sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) as well as HIV and Aids among adolescent girls and young women through Nycom secretariat. The issues are reviewed and tabled for NAC to take action for national response to HIV and Aids in this country,” she narrates.

Margaret describes herself as a passionate advocate for the empowerment of girls, gender equality, diversity and helping the young population in general.

“The mission of Cise is very much in line with my personal mission of empowering young people and the community; and celebrating the positive changes we make in our work. There are many young people making a difference in the lives of others.

“Although some do it for personal fame and gain, for others it’s a passion to change the world with zero profit. I celebrate when the community we serve tells the stories of change by citing our work and contributions,” she says.

Cise is one of the highest performing youth organisations affiliated with the Nycom.

Established in 2012 to respond to the challenges affecting the youth and children in Malawi, Cise is registered with the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in accordance with Trustees Incorporation Act, NGO Board of Malawi as well as Council for non-governmental organisations in Malawi (Congoma).

The organisation started working on issues of the youth following the need to respond to HIV and Aids; teenage pregnancies and child marriages; and it has since grown to one of the reputable local NGOs that respond to matters of youth, women and children.

Currently, Nycom has over 190 affiliated youth organisations, out of which a few- less than 10- are headed by the females.

Margaret is glad to be one of these 10 female executive directors in youth organisations.

“I am thinking of forming a network to support each other and see more female directors in youth organisations. This will be powerful and it will change the direction of youth empowerment in Malawi,” she anticipates.

She decries the favouritism in youth networks and activities, arguing that this has hampered development.

“I am always against preferential treatment, where some youths have opportunities over others. I want opportunities for all. I have also noted that sometimes women and girls fall victim to abuse when they seek opportunities.

“Some girls have fallen prey to male leaders for wanting to attend a meeting or workshop. These are the kind of things for I want to campaign for change,” she explains.

Margaret is the third born in a family of five. She was born in Malawi, but her family lived in Ndola, Zambia until she was 19 when they returned home.

The young woman holds a Diploma in Human Resource Management obtained from Skyway College.

As a young woman in college and with a mother who was retired as a civil servant, she only had her sister to help with her college fees. Losing the sister was a nightmare which led to her withdrawal from college.

She has experience in youth and community work focussing on HIV and Aids, SRHR, gender, education, child rights and environmental health. She also has a passion for farming.

She is currently supporting a young girl who was selected to Kapondo Community Technical College.

“The girl has a nine-month-old baby, but did not have the resources to sustain her stay at the college while taking care of the baby. So, I support her and I look forward to empowering more young girls in the communities,” she says.

]]>http://mwnation.com/margaret-sapezeka-executive-director-cise/feed/1Juliana Mwase: Advocates for those living with disabilityhttp://mwnation.com/juliana-mwase-advocates-living-disability/
http://mwnation.com/juliana-mwase-advocates-living-disability/#commentsSun, 28 Jan 2018 03:21:48 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=226634Born in a family of seven children back in 1974, Juliana Mwase was without a disability. Growing up in Monkey-Bay where her family lived, she suffered from Malaria in 1983 when she was nine. Following that illness, she lost her hearing. “We went to many hospitals, but nothing changed. I was in Standard Three at…

]]>Born in a family of seven children back in 1974, Juliana Mwase was without a disability.

Growing up in Monkey-Bay where her family lived, she suffered from Malaria in 1983 when she was nine. Following that illness, she lost her hearing.

“We went to many hospitals, but nothing changed. I was in Standard Three at Monkey-Bay Primary School. The hearing problem brought many problems for me in school. I had given my friends something to laugh about. I would get disappointed and sometimes stay away from school to avoid the ridicule. But my parents really wanted me to get an education. I learnt by reading since I had a passion to learn,” she narrates.

One time when she went to a government hospital, they referred her to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH); still she did not get a solution to her hearing problem.

Juliana was then sent to Chiradzulu, at the education centre for the deaf. She stayed in boarding at Mary View School for the Deaf, but was going to Montfort Demonstration Primary School.

“In 1991, I was selected to Providence Secondary School. Thereafter, I pursued a few courses at The Polytechnic. I studied accounting, secretarial studies and business administration,” she says.

However, finding a job after her qualifications was no walk in the park.

“I would do well in interviews, but prospective employers told me they preferred someone able to answer telephones in the office. Three companies did that to me and for years, I stayed at home, unable to find a job. I finally managed to find a job at Mary View School for the Deaf where I worked as an accountant for five years,” said Juliana.

As someone with a hearing impairment, she felt it was wrong to work in a school for the deaf because at the time, she was advocating for an inclusive society.

That is how she found a job at the Malawi Against Physical Disabilities (MAP) where she has for the past 11 years worked as an accountant.

Looking at all the challenges she faced from education to looking for jobs, the mother of two embarked on disability activism in 2001, encouraging people with disabilities and advocating for their rights.

“I was lucky to get an education despite all the challenges along the way, but I knew there were others in my state facing a lot of challenges. I did not want others to go through what I did. My late husband encouraged me through it,” she says.

Juliana recalls being slapped three times by a nurse at QECH while expectant because the two of them could not communicate properly with her hearing impairment.

“Despite my education, I went through that and I wondered how someone with little education coped,” she says.

Between 2001 and 2004, Juliana was Malawi National Association for the Deaf (Manad) interim chairperson, a non-profit making association catering to the welfare and the interests of people with hearing impairments.

The organisation has more than 10 500 members across the country and Juliana became full time chairperson between 2005 and 2012.

Apart from that, she was secretary for the Federation of Disability Organisations (Fedoma).

“There were a lot of challenges when we established the association. We had no structures and money to run it. We used our own resources. While in my acting capacity in 2001, I began fishing for donors. It was not easy, especially because I was a female leader with a lot of males against my leadership. But I worked hard to uplift the organisation.

“I sacrificed a lot of travel time in and out of the country to uplift the activities of the organisation. Among other things, we have managed to train 20 sign language interpreters. Today, we boast of a secretariat with branches in all the districts of the country,” she says.

Juliana has undergone trainings in different areas and trains others with disabilities. She singles out one United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) conference where she had the task of explaining about the education of children with disabilities in the country.

She notes while the country talks about education for all, children with disabilities face a lot of problems at school.

“Most teachers do not know how to deal with individual disabilities. With children crammed in one class, teaching disregards any special consideration for children with disabilities. As such, most of them are like passengers just riding along.

“Apart from that, the workload for teachers with special needs is sometimes too much. Some teach in the morning, only to return and teach children with disabilities in the afternoon for the same pay.

“This is why the number of teachers with special needs remains low and most prefer to teach in private schools. With this kind of action the country cannot improve education, especially for special needs children,” she explains.

Juliana adds that although government is pushing for education for all, she imagines it will be an uphill climb as most schools in the country do not have enough equipment to assist children with disabilities.

“In addition, the goals for education for all were meant to be achieved by 2015; this is 2018, but nothing much has been done. Our country is rich in policies, but very poor at implementing those policies. We have the Disability Act of 2012, but to date, there is nothing on the ground,” she adds.

The advocate further notes that intake for special needs teachers is low in the country.

“Montfort College trains 150 special needs teachers every two years and most are for primary schools. We need more for secondary schools.

“In 2004, government said it would construct a special needs training college, but to date, there is none. If it had, we would have more teachers. Parliament approved the budget for that college long time ago and we have no idea where that money went,” she observes.

In addition, Juliana calls on the public to change the mindset on people with disabilities and that calling them names is not right.

“People stigmatise us; others laugh at us ,saying we do not speak. Some people think that I am self-centred and I do not want to socialise, but they need to understand that things happen. Lungalunga n’kubadwa, koma chilema chichita kudza, as the saying goes.

“I was not born with a disability, but here I am with a hearing impairment. When we fight for the rights of people with disabilities, people might think we are being difficult, but no one can tell what tomorrow brings,” she explains.

Juliana—a mother of two girls and a grandmother of one—was born on March 23 1974. She lost her husband 12 years ago. She likes to read the Bible and mingling on social media.

“With hearing impairment I cannot listen to the radio and cannot watch television either because without a sign language interpreter, I cannot hear anything thing. I like to read newspapers, chatting with my family and watching soccer. I am a huge fan of the Bullets,” she says.

]]>http://mwnation.com/juliana-mwase-advocates-living-disability/feed/1Chikondi Shaba: Malawi’s Einstein Forum ambassadorhttp://mwnation.com/chikondi-shaba-malawis-einstein-forum-ambassador/
http://mwnation.com/chikondi-shaba-malawis-einstein-forum-ambassador/#commentsFri, 19 Jan 2018 15:44:53 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=226067Chikondi Shaba, 27, was recently named Malawi’s ambassador for the Next Einstein Forum (NEF) an initiative that aims at showcasing the contributions of Africa’s brilliant youth to Africa’s scientific emergence. NEF is a community of scientists, all under the age of 42. As ambassadors, Shaba and the others will highlight the science and technology from…

]]>Chikondi Shaba, 27, was recently named Malawi’s ambassador for the Next Einstein Forum (NEF) an initiative that aims at showcasing the contributions of Africa’s brilliant youth to Africa’s scientific emergence.

NEF is a community of scientists, all under the age of 42. As ambassadors, Shaba and the others will highlight the science and technology from their countries and help the forum reach individual audiences.

“I had heard about NEF from a Zimbabwean colleague Dr. Dexter Tagwireyi while studying for my master’s degree in Botswana. He was then the NEF ambassador for Zimbabwe (2015-17). I later participated at the Africa science week at mHub in Lilongwe organised and hosted by Rachel Sibande, founder of mHub, who was also the NEF ambassador for Malawi (2015-17).

mHub is Malawi`s first technology hub. This is an incubator for technology startups with a special focus on building young technology entrepreneurs through training, skills development and mentorship.

“Having met these two people with such strong profiles, I thought I could not make the cut after checking the NEF ambassadors’ page several times over the years. But they encouraged me to apply and after a lot of procrastination [from which I have learnt a lesson], here I am”.

Chikondi was excited thrilled with the thoughts of a million things she could learn and achieve with such an influence and platform.

She could not wait to organise the Africa Science week- promoting the Malawi girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Stem) initiative, research collaborations, leadership and meeting Nobel Prize winners.

Her joy was also elevated with the prospect of meeting NEF fellow ambassadors at the biennial global gathering scheduled for Kigali, Rwanda in March 2018.

“As ambassador, I have the grand opportunity to lead the week long NEF Africa Science Week in Malawi, targeting primary, secondary and university students and those in transition. Over the two years, I will also be sharing my research and insights, speaking opportunities and research collaborations.

“I also have my set of activities such as establishing centres which provide youth an encouraging and supportive environment to work on Stem projects of their choice, scientific research seminars for college students to bring out that interest in innovation and research and also to civic educate communities on what research is and how beneficial it is to them,” says Chikondi.

With an inherent love for science, Chikondi appreciates the hands-on experience that laboratory hours afforded her throughout her secondary school studies.

She adds that the practicals helped her understand subject content better and aided her to do well in the sciences.

“It was simply exciting and fun. Curiosity nurtured my love for sciences, in particular, Chemistry. It never occurred to me to dislike sciences on the basis of my gender,” she explains.

Her father, the late Edward Shaba was a major driving force in her love for sciences. He was an engineer and his work mostly involved developing sustainable technologies for rural communities.

That inspired her to do the same with chemistry and her interest is to adapt foreign technologies such as mass spectrometry and various analytical techniques which she says can be used in the African setting where resources are limited due to access and inflated pricing.

Currently a Bachelor of Science degree holder and an analytical chemist at Chancellor College, the young woman was born on July 8 1990 to Edward and Mary Shaba [both late]. She is the middle child with an older brother Wongani and a younger brother, the late Edward Junior.

Her primary education started at the age four at Southend Primary School before she moved to Chichiri Primary School for standard seven and eight.

Chikondi was selected to Chichiri Secondary School, but opted for Marymount Catholic Secondary School in Mzuzu where she sat the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) in 2006, scoring 16 points.

That year, she lost her mother and younger brother in a space of two weeks. She was later selected to the University of Malawi (Unima’s) Chancellor College to pursue a Bachelor of Science which she obtained in 2012 with credit having majored in Chemistry with a minor bias in Statistics.

Since then Chikondi has studied soil and water chemistry, as well as land use and watershed management at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences under the Linnaeus-Palme international exchange programme in 2013/2014.

She also studied for a Master of Science in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Botswana under the Africa Development Bank scholarship. She graduated in 2017.

Her first job was in 2012 with Pharmanova Limited as a quality analyst.

“I liked that job so much as it was in the area of Chemistry which I enjoyed most in college analytical chemistry,” she says.

In 2013, the young scientist joined Chancellor College as an associate lecturer in the Chemistry Department. She is currently a lecturer in analytical chemistry and the deputy head of the chemistry department at the college.

Besides that, she is involved in a project under Unima called hidden crisis Unlocking of the Ground Water Potential for the Poor (UPGro) for Malawi, as the chemist responsible for assessing the groundwater chemistry.

“This is an international research programme in Malawi, Uganda and Ethiopia funded by Department for International Development (DfID). Generally, we are looking at groundwater availability and management so it is used in a sustainable manner,” she explains.

Chikondi is also passionate about awareness of Stem careers and girls education. As such, together with her friends, they co-founded Malawi Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (MaGSTEM) in 2016 and she serves as the secretary general.

“Through this initiative, we provide girls with an opportunity to explore the Stem fields, maximise their academic capacity and instil principles of inquiry, action, and critical thinking.

“MaGSTEM has a vision to create ambassadors for women in Stem and empowering them to become citizens with a global perspective. We have a membership of 25 female college students and Stem professionals to assist in our activities,” she adds.

According to her, the organisation has reached out to 28 schools across Malawi and held a science camp and girls conference with support from FHI360 and Chancellor College.

As a woman in science, she notes that the stereotypes are a challenge, arguing that once one female fails to deliver, the failure is generalised to all women.

“And this is not just by men, but it is done by women too. Sometimes, it’s women against another woman progressing more than they have. Gender is just a social role, but we are individuals, each with their own aspirations and capabilities; people should stop assuming what one can or cannot do, but rather ask that particular person if they can. Seriously, as a country we can do better at empowering each other regardless of gender,” she points out.

]]>http://mwnation.com/chikondi-shaba-malawis-einstein-forum-ambassador/feed/1Esmie Kachikuni: Fighting for other people’s rightshttp://mwnation.com/esmie-kachikuni-fighting-peoples-rights/
http://mwnation.com/esmie-kachikuni-fighting-peoples-rights/#commentsSun, 14 Jan 2018 09:14:31 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=225625Where there is a will, there is a way, so the saying goes. Looking at Esmie Kachikuni’s situation, her will was there, but the way was rather hard to tread. Nonetheless, she beat the odds of her handicap, the physical one as well as the infrastructure impediment which ordinarily should have deterred her dream of…

]]>Where there is a will, there is a way, so the saying goes. Looking at Esmie Kachikuni’s situation, her will was there, but the way was rather hard to tread.

Nonetheless, she beat the odds of her handicap, the physical one as well as the infrastructure impediment which ordinarily should have deterred her dream of attaining education. Esmie’s struggles and efforts bore fruit eventually, but not without an inspiring tale to tell. Now she wants people in her shoes to be helped to ease their struggles. Brenda Twea spoke to Esmie:

Esmie Kachikuni, 25, from Chingila Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Tsabango in Lilongwe started her primary school studies late because most schools could not admit her. Their argument was that she would need special care because of her disability.

She was born with a condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), according to www.bones.nih.gov, is a disease that causes weak bones that break easily. It is known as brittle bone disease. Sometimes the bones break for no known reason. OI can also cause many other problems such as weak muscles, brittle teeth, and hearing loss

Over time, she was accepted into one of the schools, but with mobility problems. Esmie remembers her mother carrying her to school every day because she did not have a wheelchair.

The young woman got a wheelchair when she was in Standard Six and confesses it made her life a bit easier.

As fate would have it, she was selected to Providence Girls Secondary School after sitting her Primary School Leaving Certificate (PSLC) examinations, only to find that the structures at the school were not disability friendly. Again, her mobility problems resurfaced.

“I took it upon myself to constantly approach the authorities to provide structures that were wheelchair friendly. My parents also joined me in pushing for wheelchair friendly structures. Overtime, the school administration responded and such structures were constructed. As I completed my Form Four studies, another girl on a wheelchair was selected to Providence. I am glad she didn’t have to go through the same problems I did,” she explains.

While still at school, Esmie- last born in her family- performed in drama under the Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (Fedoma) to sensitise fellow students to issues of disabilities.

This, she says, helped improve how fellow students related with her and others living with disabilities.

“I think one of the biggest challenges I faced was people’s failure to relate with me or help me the right way,” she says.

From Providence Secondary School, she went on to study at the University of Malawi (Unima’s) Chancellor College (Chanco) for a Bachelor of Social Sciences.

She encountered more problems at the college.

“The structures from the classrooms to hostels needed reconstructing to accommodate my needs. The major problem was accessing the library and some classes which were at times conducted on the top floors.

“Some lecturers were a bit difficult to convince that we should find a classroom that would be accessible even to us. We would sometimes start looking for a vacant classroom with friends while the lecture was in progress, and would miss half of the lesson,” she regrets.

With time, Esmie says the college administration heard her cries and those of other students with disabilities by allocating them accessible rooms.

However, her problems were still far from over. The library was still not accessible for her. When she needed books, she had to ask her friends to borrow on her behalf.

“This was difficult because books on reserve, which are usually the ones on the course outline, are on high demand and would usually be booked by the time my friends went to borrow them.

“Alternatively, I would borrow the books in the afternoon when they had been returned. However, that meant I would only use the books in between classes and that did not give me enough time. However, soft copies of certain chapters from some lecturers made things manageable,” she says.

Esmie decided to work with some law students and other students at the college, in the training of trainers on disability rights awareness at Chanco and Unima as a whole.

“Those trainings have helped in the way people treat those that are living with disabilities. They have even learnt how to offer assistance to people with disabilities. They also learnt the right words to use when describing people living with different disabilities because some can be really insulting and make us feel uncomfortable,” she explains.

Esmie was born on 14 April 1992 at Nguludi in Chiradzulu. She is the last born in a family of four and was born with an identical twin sister who passed away during their final year of college in 2016.

“We were identical, so we had the same disability. We were very close and we used to do everything together. I was very shocked about her death because we were together the day before and she was alright. She died in her sleep,” she regrets.

The young woman grew up in a Christian home. Both her parents are ministers, with her father serving as Bishop at Bwaila Living Waters Church (City of Eagles).

“I thank God for my parents. They sent me to school and they did everything they could to ensure that I got an education. I am thankful for their prayers and the encouragement they gave me when things got tough.

“They told me I could be anything i wanted, so, even when some people discouraged me, their words of encouragement got me through it,” she says.

]]>http://mwnation.com/esmie-kachikuni-fighting-peoples-rights/feed/12017 ender: We can’t live without themhttp://mwnation.com/2017-ender-cant-live-without/
http://mwnation.com/2017-ender-cant-live-without/#commentsSat, 06 Jan 2018 21:41:01 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=225149In the second week of the New Year, we bring you the last batch of some of the cover stories we carried in EveryWoman in the just-ended year. We continue celebrating all women, including all those we covered in our previous editions. We extend to all of you our appreciation because of your cooperation, availability…

]]>In the second week of the New Year, we bring you the last batch of some of the cover stories we carried in EveryWoman in the just-ended year. We continue celebrating all women, including all those we covered in our previous editions. We extend to all of you our appreciation because of your cooperation, availability and wonderful works you are doing out there. May this year be even greater. Our staff reporter Brenda Twea compiled the following:

Pamela Kuwali

­First woman at the helm of Cisanet

Kuwali: It is a true reflection

Pamela Kuwali always wished for a position of influence over agricultural policies in the country. She had no idea that God would honour that desire.

In April this year, she was appointed chief executive officer for Civil Society Agriculture Network (Cisanet), a position that might just help to bring to life her dream of Malawi becoming a food-secure nation, with or without ‘good rains’.

“I would like to see rural farmers moving away from subsistence farming to business; to see the area of land used for irrigation increase. We have enough water resources for that; to see more agro-processing, whereby, fruits and vegetables are not left to rot, but processed for export. And I would like to see improvements in livestock farming,” she said.

The 39-year-old ventured into the agriculture sector after a string of jobs in different areas since her graduation from Chancellor College in 1999. Her first job after attaining her degree in Public Administration was with the Department of Customs and Excise (now Malawi Revenue Authority).

Pamela later joined the United States Embassy where she worked for nine years as a public diplomacy specialist. She left in 2011 to join the United Nations World Food Programme as head for policy, donor/government relations and public information.

She then joined National Democratic Institute for International Affairs in 2013 as senior programme manager for governance until February 2017.

“My desire is to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure commitment towards the priority policy areas in the National Agricultural Policy (NAP), that enough resources are allocated to these priority areas and that there is accountability and transparency in how those resources are used,” she said. n

Tamiwe Tomoka

Malawi’s first female pathologist

Tamiwe Tomoka

Tamiwe Tomoka is the lead pathologist for University of North Carolina (UNC)-Malawi Cancer Consortium, providing diagnostic services for cancer at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe, and other hospitals in the Northern and Central regions of Malawi.

She joined the pathology department at College of Medicine (CoM) as assistant lecturer in 2005. In 2007, she went to University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital to specialise in anatomical pathology and qualified as a specialist pathologist in 2011, becoming a fellow of the College of Pathologists South Africa.

Upon her return to CoM, Tomoka rose through the ranks from assistant lecturer to senior lecturer in 2014 and head of department in 2015.

In June 2016 she joined the UNC-Malawi project and took an honorary senior lecturer position with CoM, offering teaching support in the discipline of pathology—the study of the scientific basis of disease.

Tomoka makes diagnoses of various diseases, including cancer by examining body tissues using specialised methods with the aid of a microscope.

She also examines bodies to establish the cause of death and conducts research in causes of diseases, with special interest in cancers.

The pathologist appeals to Malawians to appreciate the role of laboratory in the practice of medicine, saying: “Without the laboratory, there is no evidence-based medical practice. A laboratory is not only for research. Therefore, when we are developing or designing health-related programmes, the laboratory should not be sidelined.”

There are five practising Malawian pathologists with different interests in the field of anatomical pathology, with a recent addition of another female pathologist Dr Yambaso Manda. n

Naomi Msusa

UCT’s first black, youngest test administrator

Naomi Msusa, 40, knows better than to despise small beginnings. When she started the work that would lead to her current role as test administrator for the Centre for Higher Education at University of Cape Town (UCT), she hated it.

“I felt it was too menial and beneath me. I had grown up believing I was meant to do far greater things, so, doing these menial tasks after I had obtained all my qualifications frustrated me,” Msusa explained.

Her job at the time involved packing boxes for testing sessions. She had been packing boxes for close to a year and her packing helped facilitate university access for thousands of students.

“I was a hard worker; I had dreams, plans and goals, but my motivation was all wrong. I had to do all these menial jobs, but because I still thought they were beneath me, I never really invested myself in them,” she said.

Msusa said once she accepted her job and changed her attitude, she came up with better ways of shipping the tests.

“It was this new-found enthusiasm that made my superiors notice me and begin to give me more serious work. When the opportunity came, they did not hesitate to give me the position of test administrator,” she said, making her the first black and youngest person to hold that position at UCT.

She pursued her Bachelor of Arts, Humanities at Chancellor College then left for the University of Paris 13 in 2000 to pursue a postgraduate Diploma and Masters qualifications in French Language and Literature.

]]>http://mwnation.com/2017-ender-cant-live-without/feed/12017 ender: What women contributedhttp://mwnation.com/2017-ender-women-contributed/
http://mwnation.com/2017-ender-women-contributed/#commentsSat, 30 Dec 2017 21:15:02 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=224887As 2017 draws to an end, we recap some of the year’s highlights as presented to you in the Every Woman supplement. We covered some of the most inspiring stories and personalities from a cross section of professions and achievements. Here are some of our random picks as compiled by Brenda Twea, our staff reporter.…

]]>As 2017 draws to an end, we recap some of the year’s highlights as presented to you in the Every Woman supplement. We covered some of the most inspiring stories and personalities from a cross section of professions and achievements. Here are some of our random picks as compiled by Brenda Twea, our staff reporter.

Edith Jiya – Ommala Group CEO

Edith Jiya – Ommala Group CEO

Edith Jiya is one of the strong- willed women making a mark in the country’s corporate world. Earlier this year, she was named chief executive officer (CEO) for the Old Mutual Malawi Group and she took over from Chris Kapanga who retired at the end of February.

Jiya led the Ommala Group as acting CEO since March 2015 when Kapanga was seconded to West Africa as Group CEO for Old Mutual Ghana. She admitted that it was an opportunity that was challenging and humbling to be trusted to lead.

Jiya joined Old Mutual Malawi in May 2007 after a few years of working with Oil Company of Malawi (Oilcom), now Puma.

“Coming to Old Mutual was, for me, purely a quest for a fresh challenge. I saw the opportunity; I applied and was successful in my interviews. It was a real challenge at first and in the first few months, I asked myself if I had made the right decision. Later on, I realised that I needed to do my best,” she said.

Born at Likuni Hospital in Lilongwe, Jiya is the first born of three. She grew up at Chitedze Research Station where both her parents worked as agricultural scientists.

She graduated from the Malawi Polytechnic in 1996 with a Bachelor of Business Administration. She also holds a Master of Science and a post graduate diploma in Marketing.

“I pursued all these studies after college because I believe that one can never have enough knowledge, and that it is necessary to use every opportunity to learn,” she pointed out.

Born on April 14, 1976, the soft spoken CEO is married to Harold Jiya with two children, Takondwa (16) and Maziko (13). Her dream is to leave Old Mutual better than she found it.

Natasha Tonthola —Rights activist

The confident and easy going former Big Brother Africa housemate Natasha Tonthola is now an activist for women’s and children’s rights.

Natasha Tonthola —Rights activist

An orphan, Natasha dropped out of school and experienced early pregnancy, early marriage and gender-based-violence (GBV). She now complements government and non-governmental organisation (NGOs)’s efforts to keep girls in school.

Her mission is to ensure that no girl drops out of school because of menstruation, lack of appropriate underwear or sanitary wear.

Aged 29, the mother of one, who is also looking after 14 extended family members is also keen on protecting the environment and has since innovated eco-friendly reusable sanitary products and diapers which she claims are 100 percent bio-degradable.

“Since 2004, I have been implementing Project Dignity to keep girls in school. Under this project, I designed underwear and eco-friendly reusable washable napkins to ensure that girls do not miss classes when menstruating and that they do not drop out of school due to lack of appropriate underwear. I have so far managed to identify 1 000 marginalised girls across the country in all 28 districts as beneficiaries of the project,” she says.

Project Dignity earned her a nomination for the Youth Citizenship Entrepreneurship 2016 Challenge under the best project category. She won the first prize in Berlin, Germany.

Natasha was also nominated and shortlisted as a finalist for the Nelson Mandela and Graca Machel 2016 Innovations Awards for her efforts in liberating the girl child and for innovating the reusable washable napkins.

Maliam Mdoko—First female architects’ president

Maliam Mdoko is the first female president of the Malawi Institute of Architects (MIA) and came in with a promise to promote the visibility and role of the architects in the country as she sails the institute’s ship for the next two years.

Maliam Mdoko—First female architects’ president

“Architects have a role to change the infrastructure landscape, but for us to do that, we need to be given the chance and of course reclaim our role. It is, therefore, important for people to respect this fact.

“As president, I will promote the visibility and role of the institute as well as that of architects. I will also ensure that different professionals in the construction industry work together in promoting and safeguarding the industry,” she said.

Maliam’s professional experience dates back to 2001 when she joined Kanjere and Associates; and worked for about 10 years. She joined as an intern and later as a graduate architect after attaining her Bachelor of Science in Architecture.

“I worked on a number of projects and mastered a lot about architectural designing and overall contract administration/project management. I was further exposed and challenged to take leadership roles on most of the projects. In 2010, I joined Press Trust as a projects officer and in 2014, I was promoted to the position of projects manager which I hold up to this day,” she explained.

Maliam is the first born of seven. She holds a Diploma in Architectural Technology from the Malawi Polytechnic; a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and qualified as an architect in 2009 after the professional practice training and exams (PPT+E). She also holds an executive Master of Business Administration from Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute and Maastricht School of Management (Esami/MSM) attained in September 2010.

]]>http://mwnation.com/2017-ender-women-contributed/feed/1Ngabaghila Chatata: Agribusiness womanhttp://mwnation.com/ngabaghila-chatata-agribusiness-woman/
http://mwnation.com/ngabaghila-chatata-agribusiness-woman/#commentsSun, 24 Dec 2017 03:48:19 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=224599Ngabaghila Chatata had always dreamed of finding a solution to the importation of high value vegetables in the country. She also had dreams of becoming self-employed by the age of 40 and farming turned out to be an option. By the year 2012, Chatata founded Thanthwe Enterprise along with her husband and got it registered…

]]>Ngabaghila Chatata had always dreamed of finding a solution to the importation of high value vegetables in the country.

She also had dreams of becoming self-employed by the age of 40 and farming turned out to be an option.

By the year 2012, Chatata founded Thanthwe Enterprise along with her husband and got it registered in 2013.

The enterprise is an Agribusiness venture specialising in horticulture, agri-tourism, livestock and knowledge management through research, trainings and consulting.

The idea stemmed from her family’s love for vegetables, which led to exploring how to grow some that are normally imported by the country’s super markets.

She says that experiment has grown into a successful agribusiness that employs climate smart technologies, including green house and drip irrigation.

“We are also suppliers of greenhouses. Our model urban farm hosts visitors to appreciate modern farming methods and this has turned out to inspire many to consider farming as a business and changed their perception on agriculture.

“As a woman-led business, it has sent a positive message to other women and it is also a model of how couples can partner in business. We are a living example of how one can prosper in farming without prior training in agriculture,” explains the social sciences graduate.

The mother of four recently came first in the entrepreneurship awards by Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute (Smedi).

The awards, according to the organisation’s public relations officer, Mian Mpesi were aimed at appreciating SMEs for the good job they are doing.

“Many entrepreneurs are doing a good job, but they are not appreciated. Chatata is doing a lot of things that other entrepreneurs could emulate. Her business is registered, and she is tax compliant.

“Apart from that, she is now going into value addition. She has employed 20 people, both men and women, helping to reduce unemployment rates in the country. All these are things we would like to see local entrepreneurs do and that is why she was well deserving of the award,” she says.

For the agricultural enthusiast, the Smedi entrepreneurship award has served as an encouragement in Chatata’s entrepreneurship journey.

“I was just doing what I love to do and being recognised and awarded made me realise that we have a job to do – to inspire upcoming entrepreneurs as they look up to me. I also realise that it’s a call to represent the voice of SMEs so that they are heard and supported accordingly. SMEs are key in the development of Malawi,” she explains.

The same day that she received the Smedi award, Chatata also got an award from Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building Agriculture (Ruforum) as an outstanding farmer.

“It was a humbling experience to be recognised at the regional level,” she says.

With a model farm at Likuni in Lilongwe, Thanthwe Enterprises has a green house area of 1 700 square meters and five acres open field irrigated land.

It produces 50 tonnes of high value vegetables annually, including sweet peppers, sweet melons, tomatoes, cucumber and mushrooms. They use climate smart drip irrigation and mulching to maximise productivity per unit area of land.

The 38-year-old left her full time job in November 2015 to focus on her business and Thanthwe has been registering growth ever since.

Her biggest target is to grow it to its full potential.

Chatata now aims at stepping into agro-processing and manufacturing..

The enterprise’s products are sold locally in the high end markets, including five star hotels and super markets. They are now exploring export markets.

Born Ngabaghila Mwakisulu on June 8, 1979, she is married to Dziko Chatata, the co-founder and together they are parents to Wakisa, Thanga, Joshua and Isaac.

“I have clearly defined my roles, I know when I am a wife, a mother and the managing director. I know better than to mix up the roles. I create time for all those roles and work on them. I also try to put up a good support system and I always create time to relax and enjoy the company of my family,” she says.

She was born at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre to the Late Winnie and Late Austin Mwakisulu.

Chatata is a Bachelors Degree holder in Social Sciences, with Sociology major. She has professional experience in non-governmental and civil society organisations where she worked as programme coordinator for Action Aid urban governance programme in Lilongwe and national coordinator for Water and Environmental Sanitation Network among other positions.

The entrepreneur is an expert in community mobilisation, strategic planning, governance, women’s rights, livelihood programming, resource mobilization and partnerships management.

She is the chairperson for Lilongwe Horticultural Farmers Cooperative. Chatata sits on Farmers Union of Malawi’s (FUM) council, representing horticulture and is also in the FUM agribusiness sub-committee.

However, all the success did not come on a silver platter.

“Passion is key. I read a lot and learn from others, including my workers. I enjoy the support of my husband in business and together we make a winning team. I enjoy creativity and constructive debates. I am a go getter. I enjoy making the most of the opportunities around me and love to discuss ideas/solutions. I love to inspire and get inspired,” she says.

There are no roses without thorns, so the saying goes and with all the success comes a number of challenges. For one thing, she is a woman, thriving in agri-preneurship.

However, Chitata says she likes to work and approach her tasks from a professional angle rather than as a woman.

“I find that it is the best way to work in business. This is an approach most people find to be difficult and they always try to find every opportunity to remind me that I am a woman.

“The society we live in always tries to pull you down when you are a woman. But when they realise that you are different, they just have to work with you. I’m very lucky to have a husband who understands that I’m a leader in my own right and just lets me be,” she says.

Chatata sees agribusiness as an exciting and wide value chain. She advises the youth that if they can find their niche and be creative, they can prosper.

She notes that Malawi will only develop if Malawians roll-up their sleeves and start working on developing it.

She calls on the general public to take responsibility and develop the country.

“Let us take responsibility and develop our nation. This has to be at all levels. The Malawian fathers need to rise up to the occasion and lead by example. Mothers ought to rise and nurse this nation. The time is now,” she concludes.

]]>http://mwnation.com/ngabaghila-chatata-agribusiness-woman/feed/2Mabel Khonje: To launch Dollmabel Matte Lipstickhttp://mwnation.com/mabel-khonje-launch-dollmabel-matte-lipstick/
http://mwnation.com/mabel-khonje-launch-dollmabel-matte-lipstick/#commentsSun, 17 Dec 2017 04:16:14 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=224323Frustrated by the lack of lipstick that matched her skin tone, former Malawi beauty queen Mabel Khonje (nee Banda) was driven to create her own. Her brand Dollmabel, set to be launched on Friday, December 22 at Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe is very unique according to her, because unlike other lipsticks, she…

]]>Frustrated by the lack of lipstick that matched her skin tone, former Malawi beauty queen Mabel Khonje (nee Banda) was driven to create her own.

Her brand Dollmabel, set to be launched on Friday, December 22 at Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe is very unique according to her, because unlike other lipsticks, she had the Malawian woman in mind when she designed it.

“I have worked on it for a year. Unlike other lipsticks available on the market, Dollmabel is specifically made for black people. I handpicked all the colours and they are all suitable for black skin. I was involved in the whole process of making the formulae. Dollmabel is in different shades and is fitting for anyone whether light or dark in complexion,” she says.

The former beauty princess, who is now a professional model in Europe, becomes the second Malawian to design a lipstick line after United States based Omega Nankhuni, the designer of OC Cosmetics.

She says it has been her long time dream to start her own cosmetic line and claims her dream is finally coming to life.

“When I moved here [the Netherlands] about a year ago, I started doing some research and that is what has led to the birth of Dollmabel Matte Lipstick,” she says.

Mabel says she wants her cosmetics line to include perfumes, eye shadow pallets and face powders.

The model adds that she is not just targeting Malawi as a market for her products as she is eyeing international markets as well.

“I want to compete with big companies such as Mac, Mary Kay or Iman. I will launch Dollmabel lipstick in the Netherlands by January end and will launch it in the United Kingdom as well,” says the mother of two.

“Everything about the lipstick reflects me and my personality,” she says. “It is warm and does not stick on glasses or cups as other lipsticks do, but stays long.”

Dollmabel comes in 15 different shades although presently they have 10 shades available in stock.

“We have used samples on people and they love it. We have not started selling, yet, we will only start after the launch,” she says.

Mabel’s big dreams do not end at a cosmetic line, but they go beyond, taking into account young models in the country; to help them become better, not just for fashion shows, but as individuals as well.

“Right now, I am working on a programme where models can sign up and get the necessary training they need. It will be a models boot camp, slightly different from a modeling agency. They will sign up and camp in a given place undergoing training with activities, class sessions, and will get influential people to give them motivational talks,” she explains.

Apart from the lipstick line and the modeling job, the former beauty queen also holds a full time job in the Netherlands and juggles between work and modelling.

She currently works as a consultant for a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in the Netherlands, assisting various immigrants moving to that country in search of jobs.

Modelling has always been her passion, planted in her by her late mother.

“She made me participate in all the beauty pageants you can think of-from Miss Schools to Miss Environment. I was also once Miss Lilongwe. But I wanted more,” says the 2004 Miss Malawi second princess.

Apart from organising Miss Malawi beauty pageants for six years with Artistic Agency after her reign as second princess, the beauty queen also owned Vogue Modelling Agency in Lilongwe, but it never kicked off.

“My aim was to train young Malawian models not just about the runway, but etiquette and educational stuff,” she says.

To satisfy her hunger for modelling, Mabel applied to a few modelling agencies before making her move to Europe; such that when she finally went, it was not that hard to start.

“I started with small time jobs; non-paying jobs- modelling and doing photo shoots for boutiques until I got signed up by a local agency. It’s not that big. I did small time jobs for over six months before anything solid came up. So, with my work at the NGO, I usually model over the weekends. But if it’s a job outside Holland, for instance, if I have to go to Paris, Belgium or Milan, I take time off,” she adds.

Born Mabel Banda on 10 August 1983 in Zimbabwe, she comes from Mitawa Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Tambala in Mayani, Dedza. She is married to Sanderson Khonje and is a mother to two sons.

She is the first born of three children and she is the eldest with two brothers. Following the divorce of her parents when she was 12, she and her brothers were raised by her late mother and she acknowledges that it was tough.

“I am one of those people that were not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I have had to work hard for everything I have. But I am glad that I was brought up in a home full of love and my late mother did her best to provide for me and my brothers,” she discloses.

She did part of her primary school education at Alfred Beit International School in Harare, Zimbabwe before going to Lilongwe Girls Primary School. She later went to Dedza Girls Islamic Secondary School after which she attended Malawi College of Accountancy and Varsity College in Pretoria South Africa where she studied accountancy.

Mabel now holds an associate degree in public relations and communications from the University of Wales in Cardiff, attained in 2010.

Beyonce Knowles, Oprah Winfrey and Iman (Zara Mohamed Abdulmajid) are some of her role models.

“These are powerful black women who despite their backgrounds made it happen for themselves and they are still making it,” she says.

She advises girls never to stop believing in their dreams and to always put God first in everything.

]]>http://mwnation.com/mabel-khonje-launch-dollmabel-matte-lipstick/feed/1Tabitha Chawinga: The international women football gemhttp://mwnation.com/tabitha-chawinga-international-women-football-gem/
http://mwnation.com/tabitha-chawinga-international-women-football-gem/#commentsSat, 09 Dec 2017 18:44:29 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=224031As November drew to a close, the warm heart of Africa’s own footballer Tabitha Chawinga was named the Swedish Women’s Football Best Forward of the year. The 21-year-old from Hewe Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Katumbi in Rumphi, beat the reigning Fifa (Federation Internationale de Football Association) World Player of the Year Lieke Martens, the Lionel…

]]>As November drew to a close, the warm heart of Africa’s own footballer Tabitha Chawinga was named the Swedish Women’s Football Best Forward of the year.

The 21-year-old from Hewe Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Katumbi in Rumphi, beat the reigning Fifa (Federation Internationale de Football Association) World Player of the Year Lieke Martens, the Lionel Messi of women’s football.

Malawi’s Tabitha Chawinga in action at the Cosafa Cup in Zimbabwe

“Honestly, I did not expect it and it came as a huge surprise. But I guess winning the Swedish top league golden boot despite my club being relegated made the difference. This award means a lot to me. It is an honour that I will cherish for the rest of my life, especially considering the high profile players that I was up against.

“But I owe everything I have achieved to God. He is the one who provides me with the strength and inspiration and it is by His grace that I do well,” said the Rumphi born and bred football star.

Tabitha maintains that for her, this feat is not an excuse for relaxation, but will instead push her to work even harder to surpass her current level.

“I cannot say I am good enough because I have not reached where I want to be, yet,” said the third born in a family of five children.

The young star has also been nominated for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) women’s player of the year award which if she wins, will bring to five her international accolades since joining the Swedish lower league in 2014.

Scored a hat-trick: Tabitha

“I am at a loss for words to describe my happiness following this latest nomination. God is doing great things for me and I thank Him so much,” she said in an interview recently.

Tabitha joined the Swedish Club Kvarnsveden IK in 2014 from DD Sunshine and became an instant hit by winning the top scorer award.

She has now entered into a two-year-old deal with Jiangsu Sunning, a Chinese Elite Leaugue, having parted ways with Kvarnsveden IK where she has been for the past three years.

The star admits it is a big opportunity which will help her earn more money to support her family. She will join the Chinese Club in January 2018.

In an interview on Wednesday, Andrew Chikhosi, her coach from her former club DD Sunshine said it is amazing to see her soaring in her football career.

“We spotted her when she was younger and we saw the potential. She liked to play football with boys in Rumphi and we noted she had the qualities of a good football player; both in physique and in skill. We taught her to be disciplined, to follow coaches’ advice and ball controls- the finishing and the scoring. It is good to see her shining on the world arena,” he said.

The coach added that they will not stop there and will carry on building other women footballers.

“We want more girls to reach the heights that Tabitha has reached. They may not be like her, but they can at least get to where she is. We want more Malawians in European clubs,” he said.

Born on May 19 in 1996, the young achiever says she is inspired by Marta Vieira da Silva, the Brazilian footballer. She dreams of being just like her one day. That is what has pushed her to where she is.

“I have so many role models in football, but Marta from Brazil is my number one role model. I would like to be like her because she plays well. I am sure one day I will get there,” she affirms.

The young woman called on women soccer administrators to strive at improving women soccer because there is a lot of talent.

“They can improve talent from grassroots to national teams. In terms of talent, Malawians are really good. They just lack nurturing and the exposure,” she argues.

Looking ahead, the young woman, who prefers being the centre forward in a match, says she would like to remain in the football field even when she grows up, probably as a coach or administrator.

Tabitha was born with an innate affection for football. She acquired the skill naturally. She was among the pioneers of women’s football in the country.

“I liked to play football with boys from my neighbourhood in Rumphi. And then I came to Lilongwe to play with the DD Sunshine Club after impressing in an Airtel Women’s Football Tournament in Mzuzu,” she explains.

She was spotted in Lilongwe to go and play in Sweden as a professional.

Tabitha’s advice to girls is to fear God, quoting the Bible, saying “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

Going with the famous quote- success is not an accident, Tabitha further advises that without hard work and perseverance, there is no reaching greater heights in life.

“This talent did not come by itself because without God nothing is possible. In addition, hard work is key in my field,” she adds.

]]>http://mwnation.com/tabitha-chawinga-international-women-football-gem/feed/1Should I take him backhttp://mwnation.com/should-i-take-him-back-2/
Sat, 02 Dec 2017 17:28:09 +0000http://mwnation.com/?p=223597Dear BMW, Well, my child’s runaway father just made a surprise appearance into my life the other day, all smiles ready to assume his responsibilities 10 years later! The idiot bolted and ran the minute he found out I was pregnant. We had only known each other for a short time. I was young and…

Well, my child’s runaway father just made a surprise appearance into my life the other day, all smiles ready to assume his responsibilities 10 years later! The idiot bolted and ran the minute he found out I was pregnant.

We had only known each other for a short time. I was young and naive, so when he told me he will not go all the way, I trusted him. We were just petting and not in a serious relationship but that is not an excuse to abandon your baby.

At first, he claimed the pregnancy couldn’t be his because “we had only had unprotected sex two times and he had not spitted in (as you called it last week) on one of those occasions”.

But after realising that claiming the pregnancy wasn’t his wasn’t going to hold water, since I was a virgin when he ‘knew me’, he gave the maddening excuse which most low life men give when they knock up a woman unexpectedly; “I am not ready to be a father”. And with that, he rode off into the sunset never to be seen again until a few days ago.

When I saw his pimple-littered face and his brown teeth again at my door step, I was livid Biggy! I would have hit his face with a broom, but there he was on his bended knee, crying wolf and begging for forgiveness. He wants me in his life, to provide a roof over his dirty hair and feed his stomach. He says he has no home and wants to be my husband and raise his ‘child’.

BMW, I am speechless. Simayesero wawa? But since I do not have a man in my life should I take him back? Is he ready to be a parent?

Abandoned, via WhatsApp, Kasungu

Dearest Abandoned,

I don’t think you are anywhere near abandonment. You are just in self denial. You call the father of your child a pimple-littered face? You call the man who broke your virginity a brown teeth?

Well, if you were to hit him with a broom you should have done so there and then. I have better issues to look into than you wondering whether you should take into your home someone who fits to be called a tramp.

Mind you, I am no masochist, but when I see a spade, it is not a big spoon no matter what miscroscopes I use. You seem too desperate for a man!. Please stop this nonsense of entertaining idiots.

But since it looks like you still want him (to give you a second child), before you take him to your bed, please call pest control services, so that they can fumigate him to rid him of all sorts of ticks, lice and other parasites from his body. Please also do your geological survey research. You will be shocked. This man has sired babies not far away from your home? I can bet with my last coin, that he will come with a litany that is his one in a million.

That he came back to you, do you think that is love? Do you think you matter in his life? That you are one in a million and his rose flower? You better watch out! Malawi population is 17 million. Essentially, if you are one in a million, that means there are 17 of you in a million. My fear is, all those 17 may have been in his bed and all have his children.

That said, I think you have yourself to blame, as it appears you really knew whatever you were doing. The long and short of it, I have never known what ‘low life’ and ‘high life’ men know about siring children of the bush. Sorry.

But if you knew that low life men always give the ‘I am not ready to be a father’ reason, why did you open your legs wide for him?

Next time you meet a low life man and he says I will not go all the way, demand he uses protection.